Although the present invention can be used on the most varied synthetic material parts for decorative, cladding or covering purposes, e.g. in the field of automotive technology, it can also be used in other technical fields such as e.g. fitting out all types of road or rail-borne vehicles, aircraft and buildings, the invention and the problem forming the basis thereof will be explained in greater detail hereinafter with reference to a roof trim for a motor vehicle and the production thereof, but without restricting the invention to that effect.
Nowadays, roof trims are used in order to cover and seal a joint between a roof sheet and a sidewall sheet of a body of a motor vehicle, in particular a car. The external appearance of the vehicle should often also be improved by this. However, roof trims of this type are often not manufactured by the car manufacturer itself, but instead are produced by suppliers, delivered and then installed at one of the car manufacturer's plants. In the automotive industry, essentially identical vehicles or vehicle classes are often manufactured at different car plants which may be located on different continents. In order to ensure an identical level of quality at all car plants, generally the same suppliers are contracted to supply specific parts, in particular for roof trims. At the same time, it is mostly a wish on the part of the car manufacturers to achieve a high local content, i.e. the highest possible proportion of total value generated locally in the vicinity of the car plant.
It is also known that nowadays car buyers and users on the one hand place emphasis upon a high-quality and aesthetic appearance of the vehicle, but on the other hand consider low fuel consumption of the vehicle to also be important. By means of the at least partial production of decorative, covering or cladding parts, such as roof trims, consisting of synthetic materials, it is possible to achieve a reduction in the vehicle weight and thereby also a favourable effect upon fuel consumption.
Depending on the respective body shape, a roof trim can constitute a bulky component which is difficult to handle, by reason of its length and a curvature which follows the body shape. However, since high demands are placed upon the dimensional accuracy and the surface quality by reason of the fact that such strips are visible, a great deal of expenditure is required for the transportation or shipping of finished roof trims from the supplier to the car manufacturer, in order to avoid deformation of the roof trims under their own weight and the effects of other forces, scratching and the like. The length and curved shape of the roof trims require complex transport elements which prevent the individual strips from coming into contact with one another. Finished roof trims therefore cannot be closely packed. Expensive transport elements for supporting the roof trims during transportation and under certain circumstances costly packaging material, and the low loading density on account of only low utilisation of the loading volume result in an unfavourable increase in transport costs.
This is a situation which needs to be improved.